Cypress police officer shoots robbery suspect

2006-02-21 03:00:00

CYPRESS — An armed robbery suspect was shot in the leg by a Cypress police officer today after his sport utility vehicle collided with another vehicle during a chase and he got out and tried to run, police said.

The suspect was shot at Cerritos Avenue and Valley View Street just before 6 p.m. but the chase began after he allegedly robbed Armor Insurance Co. on Pioneer Boulevard in Cerritos about 5:30 p.m., said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Guilbault at the Cerritos substation.

A deputy from the Lakewood substation saw the suspect and stopped the SUV at Pioneer and South Street, but the suspect refused orders and fled, Guilbault said.

Surveillance crews backed off at Norwalk Boulevard and 195th Street, but a helicopter pilot followed him until Cypress police picked up the chase, Guilbault said.

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy set up a spike strip “somewhere in Orange County,” Guilbault said, but Cypress police were handling the apprehension attempt when the man was shot.

The chase ended when the SUV, its right rear tire flat, cut off the driver of a van, which crashed into a car, KABC-TV/7 reported.

The suspect was shot after jumping out of the passenger side and taking off.

Guilbault said he did not know whether the suspect had a gun in his hand when he was shot or what exactly sparked the shooting.

Cypress police could not be immediately contacted.

The suspect was taken to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Guilbault said.